'Delicious tensions between parents and squabbles among their children seem so harmless, yet every one has the potential to start a devastating snowball of events. I couldn't put this one down.' - Janice Hallet author of The Appeal

Looking to escape her old life, Nancy and her ten-year-old daughter Lara move to Ripton. A quiet, picturesque village in the rolling Derbyshire countryside, it seems like the perfect place to settle down.

But when Nancy reaches the school gates, she learns that beneath the quaint village atmosphere is a minefield. And after her daughter clashes with her school friends, Nancy quickly finds herself outside the whispering circle of parents.

As much as Nancy finds the playground politics absurd, they soon become impossible to ignore when Lara is accused of hurting another girl.

Desperate to clear Lara's name, Nancy is about to learn just what lengths a parent will go to for their child . . .

Wry, twisting and suspenseful, Michelle Frances tells a story of schoolyard sniping turning into something much uglier in The Playground, for fans of Liane Moriarty and Adele Parks.

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PRAISE FOR THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR MICHELLE FRANCES

'Michelle Frances is an author we're going to hear a great deal about' JILLY COOPER

'Brilliant (toxic) context. Loved the epistolary touches. Taut, dark, and seriously addictive.' WILL DEAN

'I tore through the pages . . . A high-speed chase of a novel' Louise Candlish

'Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of family secrets . . . The finale doesn't disappoint' Daily Mail

'Toxic family relationships, sultry European settings and an intricate plot which leaves you never knowing who to trust' Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet

The only thing more unkind than children are their mothers . . .

About the Author
Michelle Frances has worked in television drama as a producer and script editor for many years, both for the independent sector and the BBC. She is the number one bestselling author of The Girlfriend. The Playground is her sixth novel.

Reviews
Taut, dark, and seriously addictive -- Will Dean author of Dark Pines
A slow burn, tense tale of the repercussions of both adult and child bullying and secret WhatsApp groups which almost any parent will relate to. Highly readable and horrifying. -- Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet
A brilliant thriller -- Bella on The Boyfriend
A thriller that will have you gripped -- Closer on The Boyfriend
There's something more sinister than sibling rivalry lurking in Sisters and I tore through the pages, desperate to discover the terrible secret that separates Abby and Ellie. This high-speed chase of a novel is a perfect summer read -- Louise Candlish on Sisters
Terrific . . . Twisted, fraught with suspense, a proper summer page-turner -- Jo Spain on Sisters
Toxic family relationships, sultry European settings and an intricate plot which leaves you never knowing who to trust - an ideal read for the beach -- Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet, on Sisters
Fans of BBC drama The Replacement will lap up this taut and suspenseful tale -- Heat on The Temp
I was blown away. The Girlfriend is the most marvellous psychological thriller . . . I couldn't put it down and kept sneaking upstairs to read another few pages . . . Michelle Frances is a writer we're going to hear a great deal about. Please read this genuinely exciting novel -- Jilly Cooper
Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of sibling rivalry and family secrets . . . The finale doesn't disappoint -- Daily Mail on Sisters



Book Information
ISBN 9781529049688
Author Michelle Frances
Format Paperback
Page Count 464
Imprint Pan Books
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Weight(grams) 322g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 33mm